The level of play and the institution that employs him may have changed, but the results are still the same for Chennis Berry.
Wednesday, the South Carolina State head football coach was named Region 2 Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association for the third consecutive season.
This award comes after he has led the Bulldogs to an 8-2 record and clinched the program’s 19th Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title overall and first since 2021.
Berry won the award in 2022 and 2023 while at Division II Benedict College. At Benedict, Berry led the Tigers to two undefeated regular seasons and two Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships, as well as two appearances in the NCAA playoffs.
Berry, an offensive lineman at Savannah State, began his coaching career as an assistant at Morris Brown in 1996, then spent time coaching the offensive line and tight ends and serving as offensive coordinator for schools such as Kentucky State, North Carolina A&T, Howard, and Southern before earning his big break with Benedict in 2020.
After a 5-5 record in 2021, Berry led the Tigers to a 22-2 record overall and a 15-0 record in SIAC play during the next two seasons.
He was hired by South Carolina State last December to succeed legendary head coach Buddy Pough, who retired following the 2023 season.
